Key Details
TRAI released its quarterly report on action against Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC), based on information submitted by telecom service providers (TSPs), covering 1 July–30 September 2026.
Complaints and enforcement: Of 1.529 million UCC complaints, 0.723 million were actionable. Enforcement included 1,10,325 telecom resources barred for 15 days for first violations, 13,777 disconnected for one year for repeated violations, 374 senders blacklisted for one year, and 3,725 SMS headers blocked.
AI-based spam detection: AI systems flagged 18.28 billion incoming calls and 1.62 billion incoming SMS as suspected spam. TSPs also issued 4.59 million warning notifications to suspected high-probability spam-sending entities.
Sender verification: e-KYC was conducted for 34,030 suspected UCC senders, while 9,970 disconnections followed failures in KYC verification.
TRAI DND App: The application had 4.236 million downloads and received 1.421 million complaints, accounting for 92.9% of all UCC complaints during the quarter.
Consumer awareness: TRAI and its partners conducted 322 physical awareness programmes, reaching around 31,000 participants. Awareness campaigns also covered 132 FM channels, 15 AIR FM channels, 23 private TV channels, two DD channels and 97 newspapers. More than 3 billion awareness SMS messages were sent.
DND preferences: The DND Registry had 224.49 million registered preferences, equivalent to 16.64% of the country's 1.349 billion subscribers. More than 1.12 billion subscribers had not registered preferences.
Designated numbering series: The 140 series handles promotional calls, while 1600 is used for service and transactional calls in banking, financial services, insurance and government-to-citizen communications. The 1601 series, introduced on 10 August 2026, covers service and transactional calls from utilities, logistics and delivery sectors.
Preference-based blocking: Registered DND preferences enabled the blocking of 1.70 billion promotional calls and 11.09 billion promotional SMS. During the quarter, 15.27 billion promotional calls used the 140 series, while 660.71 billion commercial SMS originated from registered senders and telemarketers.
Enforcement Targets Repeat Violations Across the Telecom Ecosystem
TRAI's enforcement approach operates across multiple layers of telecom resources and senders. First violations attracted 15-day barring, while repeated violations resulted in one-year disconnections. Sender blacklisting and SMS header blocking extend enforcement beyond individual telephone numbers.
The scale of enforcement is significant against a national subscriber base of 1.349 billion and 714.01 billion originating calls during the quarter. TRAI recorded approximately 2.14 UCC complaints per million originating calls. However, the 1.529 million complaints represent reported cases, not necessarily the full incidence of unsolicited communications.
AI Detection Extends Monitoring Beyond Registered Senders
AI-based systems deployed by TSPs analyse calling patterns to identify suspected spam originating from ordinary 10-digit numbers that may bypass designated communication channels. Warning notifications are issued to entities suspected of sending spam, while e-KYC helps verify suspected senders and supports disconnection where verification fails.
The systems flagged 19.9 billion incoming calls and SMS combined during the quarter. TRAI also publishes individual TSP performance as originating and terminating access providers, alongside their performance in AI-based preventive measures, in the report's annexures.
Consumer Preferences and Reporting Remain Central to Spam Control
The DND framework combines consumer choice with regulatory enforcement. Subscribers can register or modify preferences through the TRAI DND App, their service provider's application or website, or by calling or sending an SMS to 1909.
The 224.49 million registered preferences show that a relatively small share of subscribers has formally selected their preferences. The blocking of promotional communications through registered preferences demonstrates the operational value of the registry, while the high share of complaints through the DND App highlights the importance of accessible reporting channels.
The designated 140, 1600 and 1601 numbering series further seek to distinguish promotional communications from service and transactional calls, improving transparency and helping consumers make informed decisions.
Policy Relevance
The quarterly findings highlight the need to combine technology-led detection, enforceable sender accountability and consumer participation in regulating unsolicited commercial communications.
AI-based detection can identify suspected spam from ordinary 10-digit numbers, but effective enforcement also depends on accurate sender identification, KYC verification and coordination among telecom service providers. The large volume of flagged communications makes it important to assess how effectively detection translates into verified violations and sustained reductions in spam.
Consumer participation presents another implementation challenge. With only 16.64% of subscribers registered on the DND Registry, expanding awareness and simplifying preference registration could strengthen the framework. The continued use of designated numbering series also requires compliance by businesses and institutions to ensure that legitimate service communications remain distinguishable from promotional calls.
The report provides quarterly enforcement and detection figures, but does not establish the extent to which these interventions have reduced consumers' exposure to spam over time.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can TRAI strengthen AI-based spam detection and sender verification while expanding consumer participation in DND preferences to improve the effectiveness of unsolicited communication regulation?
Follow the Full Press Release Here:
Quarterly Highlights of Action Against Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) For the period 1st July, 2026 to 30th September, 2026 (Q2 of FY 2026-27)